Dairy Science Commons^™

Temporary Cattle Identification: Benefits Of Marking With Hair Bleach, Melanie Heaton, Reganne K. Briggs, Rebekah Iverson, Brooke Holgate, David Secrist

All Current Publications

Temporary identification is an important management tool for beef producers. Animals are routinely marked following breeding, pregnancy diagnosis, vaccination, treatment, sorting, shipping, and marketing so they can be quickly identified without repeated handling. Effective temporary identification improves labor efficiency, reduces animal stress, and helps ensure management decisions are applied to the correct animals. This fact sheet provides information on temporary cattle marking using hair bleach.

Cross-Reactivity Of 15 Jev Antigen-Directed Rabbit Antisera With Three Clinically Important Jev Serogroup Members: Wnv, Mvev, And Slev, Sang-Im Yun, Young-Min Lee

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), the prototype member of the JEV serogroup within the genus Orthoflavivirus (family Flaviviridae), is closely related to West Nile virus (WNV), Murray Valley encephalitis virus (MVEV), and St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV). To characterize antigenic cross-reactivity within this group, we evaluated 15 region-specific rabbit antisera, previously generated against nearly the entire JEV protein-coding region, by immunoblotting whole-cell lysates from BHK-21 cells infected with WNV, MVEV, or SLEV, with JEV included as a reference. Six antisera (α-E^N-term, α-NS2B, α-NS3^N-term, α-NS3^C-term, α-NS5^N-term, and α-NS5^C-term) robustly recognized homologous …

Lameness In Dairy Cattle: A Practical Overview, Drew Swartz, Kalen Taylor, Jacob Hadfield, Justin Wyatt Clawson

All Current Publications

This fact sheet provides an overview of lameness in dairy cattle, including what it is, why it matters, and how to recognize and manage it. Information is geared toward producers, consultants, and educators.

Three Common Hoof Problems In Dairy Cows: What To Look For And How To Prevent Them, Drew Swartz, Kalen Taylor, Jacob Hadfield, Justin Wyatt Clawson

All Current Publications

This fact sheet covers the three most common hoof lesions in dairy cows and explains why they matter and how to prevent them on your farm.

Digital Dermatitis, Sole Ulcers, And White Line Disease In Dairy Cattle: Pathogens, Diagnosis, And Treatment, Drew Swartz, Kalen Taylor, Jacob Hadfield, Justin Wyatt Clawson

All Current Publications

This fact sheet focuses on three common hoof lesions in dairy cattle: digital dermatitis, sole ulcers, and white line disease, and describes how differences in pathogenesis and risk factors influence diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.

Colostrum Management For Dairy Calves: Key Practices For Calf Health And Performance, Drew Swartz, Jacob Hadfield, Kalen Taylor, Maggi Mathews

All Current Publications

This fact sheet provides practical recommendations for dairy producers to improve colostrum management and support calf health and performance.

Colostrum Management For Dairy Calves: Technical Guidelines For Consultant Evaluation And Implementation, Drew Swartz, Jacob Hadfield, Kalen Taylor, Maggi Mathews

All Current Publications

This fact sheet provides a technical overview of colostrum management in dairy calves, including evaluation methods and evidence-based recommendations for consultants, educators, and students.

Colostrum And Rethinking Passive Transfer In Dairy Calves, Drew Swartz, Kalen Taylor, Maggi Mathews

All Current Publications

This fact sheet provides an overview of colostrum and passive transfer in dairy calves, with information applicable to producers, consultants, educators, and students.

Coenzyme Q10 Improves Functional And Structural Parameters Of Dairy Goat Sperm During Cooling And Cryopreservation, Ranadheer Narlagiri, Abdallah M. Shahat, Courtney Henry, Ashvini Pawar, Niki C. Whitley, Iman B. Shaheed, Mahipal Singh, Brou Kouakou, Irina A. Polejaeva, Adel R. Moawad

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Cryopreservation of gametes is crucial for conserving genetic diversity in livestock and endangered species, but the process can significantly impair sperm quality due to oxidative stress. Our aim was to evaluate the impacts of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) supplementation on the in vitro quality of cooled and cryopreserved goat semen. Semen samples collected from six mature Saanen bucks were pooled then diluted with AndroMed^® semen extender to a final concentration of 800 × 10⁶ sperm/mL. Diluted semen was supplemented with 0, 1, 2, 5, 10, and 20 µM CoQ10. Extended semen was either cooled at 4 °C for 72 …

A Bovine Cell Line Resistant To Japanese Encephalitis Virus Entry But Permissive To Post-Entry Replication, Sang-Im Yun, Young-Min Lee

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic orthoflavivirus that poses a significant global health threat. It causes severe neuroinflammatory disease in humans and reproductive failure in swine. Because of the broad host range and cell tropism of JEV, identifying animal cell lines resistant to infection has been a persistent challenge. In this study, we demonstrate that Madin–Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells are resistant to JEV infection yet remain fully permissive to viral replication when transfected with viral genomic RNA. Using immunoblotting, immunofluorescence, and flow cytometry, we show that MDBK cells, unlike the highly susceptible baby hamster kidney (BHK-21) cells …

Effect Of The Ahr Inhibitor Ch223191 As An Adjunct Treatment For Mammarenavirus Infections, Miguel Angel Pelaez, Jonna B. Westover, Dionna Scharton, Cybele Carina García, Brian B. Gowen

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

The family Arenaviridae encompasses zoonotic, rodent-borne pathogens (e.g., Lassa, Machupo, and Junín viruses) that cause severe viral hemorrhagic fevers with high case fatality rates. The current therapeutic landscape is severely limited, underscoring the urgent need for novel antiviral strategies. A promising approach involves combining directly acting antivirals with host-targeted antivirals. A compelling host-targeted antiviral target is the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR). This ubiquitous ligand-activated transcription factor is a recognized pro-viral host factor across multiple viral families. Building on prior work with Junín and Tacaribe viruses, we investigated whether the AHR inhibitor CH223191 could enhance the virus-directed antiviral activity of favipiravir …

Genetic Determinants Associated With Persistence Of Listeria Species And Background Microflora From A Dairy Processing Environment, Vaishali Poswal, Sanjeev Anand, Jose L. Gonzalez-Hernandez, Brian Kraus

Dairy Science and Food Science Faculty Publications: 2022 to Present

Listeria monocytogenes is a persistent foodborne pathogen capable of surviving in food processing environments, often in association with diverse environmental microflora. This study examines genomic determinants of persistence, specifically stress adaptation and biofilm-associated traits, in environmental Listeria species and other environmental microflora from a dairy processing facility by analyzing whole-genome sequences of 6 environmental Listeria isolates, 4 ATCC reference strains, and 22 air and floor swab cultures, annotated using the RAST platform. Subsystem analysis revealed that Listeria isolates carried a defined set of genes linked to biofilm formation, antimicrobial resistance, and stress response, though in lower abundance than environmental cultures. …

Design And Fabrication Of A Scaled Automated Dairy Farm Model: A Report, Md Towfiqur Rahman

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Summary

This study investigates how ventilation systems work in dairy barns and builds a scaled model to support education and research. The project is designed to help students from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL), K-12 learners, and researchers in animal science, veterinary medicine, and engineering gain visual experience with dairy facility components and processes. Different ventilation methods were studied, leading to the design of a 1/64-scale tunnel-ventilated dairy barn meant for 60 Holstein Friesian cows. Barn dimensions were set based on real Holstein cow measurements to ensure proper cow comfort, while airflow requirements were calculated and scaled down. Miniature fans …

Enhancing The Biopreservative Effect Of Non-Starter Lactic Acid Bacteria Using Soluble Fiber During Cheese Ripening, Rakesh Kaushik, Sanjeev Anand

Dairy Science and Food Science Faculty Publications: 2022 to Present

Cheddar cheese ripening creates favorable conditions for desired microbial changes but also allows survival and outgrowth of spores like Clostridium tyrobutyricum and Bacillus licheniformis, leading to late-blowing defects. In the first phase of the study, NSLAB dynamics were evaluated in the presence of spores, where pilot-scale cheeses (110 L) were produced in four treatments: control, T1 (BL), T2 (CT), and T3 (BL+CT), each inoculated at 2.0 Log10 CFU/mL with spores. Results showed that SLAB declined from 8.0 to 0.2 Log10 CFU/g, while NSLAB increased from 2.0 to 8.5 Log10 CFU/g by the third month and remained stable thereafter. Spore counts …

Cattle Funding Scheme 2023-24 Annual Report, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity published reports

I am pleased to present the 2023-24 annual report for the Cattle Industry Funding Scheme (Cattle IFS) to our participants, key stakeholders in the Western Australian (WA) cattle industry, and the Minister for Agriculture and Food. This financial year has brought its share of challenges to the WA cattle industry including domestic and global markets, dry weather conditions and high biosecurity concerns. With Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) detected in Indonesia, biosecurity threats remain ever-present. As a result, maintaining the health of our herd in WA continues to be our top priority. The Cattle IFS continues to …

Using Automated Activity Monitoring To Detect Resumption Of Cyclicity In Early Lactation—Meta-Analysis, S. Borchardt, T.A. Burnett, T.C. Bruinjé, A.M.L. Madureira

Dairy Science and Food Science Faculty Publications: 2022 to Present

This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of automated activity monitoring (AAM) in detecting estrous expression and ovulatory status in cows during the voluntary waiting period (VWP). A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar using specific search terms. Inclusion criteria focused on studies that assessed estrous expression within the VWP using modern AAM systems alongside blood progesterone (P4) measurements. Four manuscripts involving 2,198 cows were included. Data extraction was performed by a single investigator and validated by a coauthor. The analysis considered estrous expression and ovulatory status determined through serial blood P4 measurements. Cows were …

Homologous And Heterologous Vaccination Regimens With Mrna And Rvsv Platforms Induce Potent Immune Responses Against Sftsv Glycoprotein, Tomaz B. Manzoni, Jonna B. Westover, Kendall A. Lundgreen, Philip D. Hicks, Raegan J. Petch, Jordan T. Ort, Drew Weissman, Steven H. Y. Fan, Scott E. Hensley, Norbert Pardi, Brian B. Gowen, Paul Bates

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Background: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) is a highly pathogenic bunyavirus with a high case-fatality ratio for which there is no approved vaccine. Studies have assessed different vaccine technologies. However, few studies have yet assessed the immunogenicity of heterologous prime-boost regimens. Methods: Here, we compare a lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-encapsulated nucleoside-modified mRNA-based vaccine encoding the SFTSV glycoproteins, Gn and Gc, to our recently described recombinant VSV SFTSV (rVSV-SFTSV) vaccine in single dose, homologous, and heterologous prime-boost regimens in mice. Results: We show that all regimens protect from pathogenic SFTSV challenge and elicit strong long-lasting antibody responses. Furthermore, strong cellular …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Individual Cleaning Steps Of A Cip Protocol In Membrane Biofilm Removal Under Dynamic Conditions, Diwaker Singh, Sanjeev Anand

Dairy Science and Food Science Faculty Publications: 2022 to Present

This study evaluated the effectiveness of individual clean-in-place (CIP) steps in removing biofilms from reverse osmosis (RO) membranes under dynamic flow conditions using the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) biofilm reactor. Biofilms were developed in the laboratory under continuous flow, using mixed-species bacterial isolates obtained from 10-month-old RO membrane biofilms from a commercial facility. Individual CIP chemicals, representative of those used in commercial protocols, were tested against 24 h-old biofilms. Additionally, a complete six-step sequential CIP process was conducted under dynamic conditions, consisting of treatments with alkali, surfactant, acid, enzyme, a secondary surfactant, and sanitizer. All experiments were performed in …

The Effect Of Diet Formulations Containing Different Protein Sources On Energy And Nitrogen Utilization In Lactating Jersey Cows, Kortney Ann Harpestad

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

It is well understood that lactating dairy cows require metabolizable protein (MP) for milk yield and milk protein synthesis. Diets with conventional feed sources like corn and soybean meal (SBM) may not sufficiently meet all MP and amino acid (AA) requirements so supplementation with more rumen undegradable protein (RUP) rich feeds or rumen-protected AA can be fed to support animal performance. The growth trajectory of biofuels has resulted in dramatic increases in the production of feeds like heat treated soybean meal (HTSBM). While the chemical composition of this product is understood, there is a need to better understand how HTSBM …

Studying The Population Dynamics Of Nslab And Their Influence On Spores During Cheese Ripening, Rakesh Kaushik, Sanjeev Anand

Dairy Science and Food Science Faculty Publications: 2022 to Present

Cheese ripening involves microbial changes, with starter lactic acid bacteria (SLAB) initiat- ing fermentation and nonstarter lactic acid bacteria (NSLAB) driving flavor and texture development. However, heat-resistant spores of Clostridium and Bacillus can survive pas- teurization and cause spoilage during ripening. This study evaluated NSLAB dynamics in the presence of spores during cheese ripening. Cheddar cheese samples at pilot-scale level (110 L) with four treatments, namely control, with spores of B. licheniformis (T1), with spores of Cl. tyrobutyricum (T2), and both spores (T3) at 2.0 Log10 CFU/mL, were ripened at 7 ◦C for six months. SLAB declined from 8.0 to …

2025 Nebraska Custom Rates For Livestock-Related Agricultural Services, Glennis Mcclure

Cornhusker Economics

Conclusion

The 2025 livestock custom rates report serves as a valuable reference for cost benchmarking and service pricing in Nebraska’s livestock sector. While most rates have remained stable, producers and service providers should refer to multiple years’ reports to understand trends and regional variation. As always, actual service rates will vary based on job complexity, geographic location, provider availability, and market demand.

Participation in Future Surveys

To strengthen future reports, producers and service providers are encouraged to participate in upcoming surveys. Interested individuals may register at the following URL: https://cap.unl.edu/nebraska-custom-rates-survey-sign

The 2025 Custom Service Rates Related to Livestock Production in …

One Health Interventions And Challenges Under Rural African Smallholder Farmer Settings: A Scoping Review, Evanson R. Omuse, Honest Machekano, Bonoukpoè M. Sokame, Daniel M. Mutyambai, Thomas Dubois, Sevgan Subramanian, Frank Chidawanyika

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The global human population is rapidly increasing, escalating interactions of people, animals and the environment. This has led to more convoluted health challenges, for which African smallholder farmers bear the brunt. The One Health (OH) approach recognises the interconnectedness of these health challenges and thus follows a transdisciplinary approach involving diverse stakeholders to address them. Although there have recently been global concerted efforts and studies on OH, an information gap exists in Africa, particularly regarding smallholder farmers and their needs. Additionally, evaluation frameworks and outcome metrics for OH initiatives are still unclear. Thus, this study was conducted to critically map …

Tube-Feeding A Calf, Cheyenne Reid, Reganne K. Briggs, Melanie Heaton, Rebekah Esplin, David Secrist

All Current Publications

Producers may need to tube-feed a newborn calf to provide milk if calves are unable to nurse or suck from the nipple bottle or when calves are sick and need electrolytes. This fact sheet outlines the materials required and the steps to successfully tube-feed a calf.

Warming A Calf, Cheyenne Reid, Reganne K. Briggs, Melanie Heaton, Rebekah Esplin, David Secrist

All Current Publications

Calves born in the winter or spring are often exposed to harsh weather and environmental conditions. After birth, calves may become chilled due to cold temperatures or not being dried off promptly. A chilled calf may be experiencing hypothermia. This fact sheet explains the different types of hypothermia and methods for warming a calf until it can be safely returned outside.

Evaluating A Proprietary Tannin-Blend Product As An Alternative To Monensin And Tylosin Phosphate In Feedlot Cattle Diets, Luana D. Felizari, Luke K. Fuerniss, Jonathon L. Beckett, David S. Secrist, Guy D. Hufstedler, Bradley J. Johnson

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

This study evaluates the effects of a proprietary tannin blend (BX), supplemented with or without sodium monensin (MON), on beef cattle performance, carcass traits, and health. Steers (n = 2986; initial shrunk body weight (SBW) 254 ± 9.2 kg) were allocated into 48 pens (61–62 steers/pen; 12 pens/treatment) fed for 230 d. Treatments included (1) no feed additives (CTL); (2) BX (7.95 g/animal daily); (3) MON + Tylosin phosphate (TYL; 437.52 mg MON/animal daily + 80 mg TYL/animal daily); or (4) MON+BX (437.52 mg MON/animal daily + 7.95 g BX/animal daily). Data were analyzed in R 4.2.1 using a …

Dairy Digest, Legan...Dairy 2024-2025, Department Of Dairy And Food Science

Dairy Digest

This is the 2025 Dairy Club Digest. The Diary Club Digest is published annually by the South Dakota State University Dairy Club.
The Digest contains information and news about the activities and members of the SDSU Dairy Club for the academic year 2023 - 2024.

Characterizing Environmental Background Microflora And Assessing Their Influence On Listeria Persistence In Dairy Processing Environment, Vaishali Poswal, Sanjeev Anand, Brian Kraus

Dairy Science and Food Science Faculty Publications: 2022 to Present

Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) may persist in food processing environments (FPEs) alongside diverse background microflora. While microbial communities in FPEs can in- fluence Lm survival, their role in supporting or suppressing its growth remains unclear. This study aimed to characterize the microflora in floor swabs and air samples collected from a dairy processing facility across three seasons and assess their potential impact on the growth of a Lm test strain previously isolated from a dairy processing environment. A total of 167 environmental isolates, representing 30 bacterial genera, were identified. Pseudomonas was consistently prevalent across all sample types. Seasonal shifts in bacterial …

Methane Mitigation And Its Effects On Energy Utilization In Lactating Dairy Cattle, Shan C. Sherwood

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Improved methane (CH₄) mitigation strategies are needed to achieve the greenhouse gas emission goals of the dairy industry. The first experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of feeding black cumin (Nigella sativa) seed oil and acetate (BCA) on CH₄ production and whole-animal energy utilization. Twelve dry Jersey cows were used in a 2-period crossover design study with 28d periods. The BCA treatment was compared to a control diet with corn oil. Both BCA and corn oil were added to the base diet as a top dress. Results from this study did not show any …

Precision Feeding Methods To Increase Nitrogen And Energy Utilization In Lactating Dairy Cows, Chloe Emily Moss Harris

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The environmental and economic costs of overfeeding N to dairy cattle are a challenge in today’s dairy industry. Two studies were conducted to address new opportunities for precision feeding N, which is a strategy where producers strive to feed cows the precise amount of N and amino acids that meet their individual requirements.

The objective of the first study was to evaluate the effects of supplementing a rumen protected methionine (RPM) product via automatic milking system (AMS) concentrate on milk protein yield in lactating dairy cows. Fifty-one cows were randomly assigned to control (no RPM) or treatment groups. Milk yield …

Defatted Black Soldier Fly Larvae Meal As A Substitute Of Soybean Meal In Dairy Cow Diets, D. J.M. Braamhaar, W. F. Pellikaan, D. List, D. Korir, C. M. Tanga, S. J. Oosting

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The replacement of soybean meal (SBM) with insect meal, e.g. black soldier fly larvae meal (BSFLM), as an alternative protein source in livestock feed is gaining traction globally. To date, no in vivo studies have been conducted to test the impact of BSFLM on the milk production of dairy cows. This study quantified the effects of replacing SBM with defatted black soldier fly larvae meal (DBSFLM) in diets of lactating dairy cows on feed intake, milk production and composition, apparent total-tract digestibility, feed- and nitrogen use efficiency. Twelve lactating Holstein-Friesian cows were used in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin …